Chapter 16
Dinner proved tense. For me and Nicky, at least. Percy and Zaza, with the innocence of youth, ate with gusto.
With reason. The breaded chicken cutlets pan-fried in olive oil and served with roasted tomatoes and garlic truly made the taste buds sing, however, I found it hard to enjoy the meal given my concern.
Would the strangers return during the night thinking they could lure Percy out?
Would they be armed? Did I have to worry about reinforcements?
If it had been just me and Percy, I’d have managed.
Hide the dragon and take the intruders out.
But I had Nicky and Zaza to worry about. I couldn’t risk them getting hurt.
After dinner, while Nicky prepared Zaza for bed, I checked all the windows and doors to ensure they remained properly secured.
I scoured the chalet for anything I could use as a weapon.
Best I could find? A hammer and a large kitchen knife.
Deadly in my hands, but not ideal as they both required close-quarters combat, which tended to get messy.
Was I overreacting? Could be these people actually were journalists or the newer type of podcasters looking for a story, but in that case, why not come clean and approach me to ask about Percy directly? The subterfuge implied a darker intent.
As planned, I set up a bed in front of the woodstove. The thick quilt from upstairs and a pillow were more comfortable than what I used to get in the field when on a mission.
Percy started out in the middle of my makeshift bed, curled in a ball, but grumbled after a short while. “Your anxiety is disrupting my slumber. I’m going to sleep with Zaza.”
Probably for the best. I doubted I’d be able to relax.
Nicky emerged not long after Percy went to see them and sat cross-legged on the blanket, staring at me. I had the weapons under my pillow so they probably weren’t the cause of the crease between her brows.
“You’re really worried,” she stated.
“You aren’t?”
She sighed. “I am. I like Percy quite a bit and would hate for her to be taken by force because I doubt that would bode well for her. Maybe we should have left.”
“Leaving would have been a temporary solution. If my face was recognized then these people would just have to wait until I surfaced somewhere to come after Percy again.”
“If they really wanted Percy, why not break in today while we were both gone?”
A nagging point that I’d yet to resolve. “I don’t know. Maybe they wanted to be sure Percy was here before breaking in. Could be they planted surveillance.”
Her eyes widened. “You think there might be cameras spying?”
“It’s possible. I took a peek around to see if I spotted any devices, but with today’s technology, they’re easy to camouflage.”
“Meaning they could be listening to us now.”
“If they are, then they know I’m waiting for them.” I couldn’t help a grim reply.
“We are,” she stressed, sidling closer. “I won’t let you do this alone.”
“I’d rather you weren’t involved,” I stated with all honesty. “If shit hits the fan, you take Zaza and run. I don’t want either of you anywhere close to any altercation.”
She reached out to cup my cheek. “Always trying to be the hero.”
I almost recoiled. “Hardly. I’m not a good man, Nicky. I’ve done things. Bad things.”
“Because you wanted to or because your military demanded it?”
“Does it matter?”
“Yes, because there is a difference between following orders and killing for enjoyment.”
“Only a psychopath revels in death. I had to turn off my emotions to do my job.”
“Because it bothered you. Still does, hence the nightmares.”
My lips pinched. “What I’ve done will always be a part of me and is why I’ve said you deserve better. I mean, look at me. A few strangers show up, and I’m ready to go to war.”
“To protect those you love.”
I almost said I didn’t love Percy but that wouldn’t be entirely true. The dragon had grown on me, and not in that unpleasant way the fungus did when I spent too much time in a damp jungle. “Preparing myself for battle shouldn’t be my first response.”
“Being ready for a threat isn’t a bad thing. I think it admirable that you’re willing to stand up for those you care about. Some men choose the easier route and walk away.”
“I envy them.”
“No, you don’t, because this is who you are.” She leaned forward to whisper against my lips. “You are a hero. A protector. A man who cares more deeply than he likes to admit. Who doesn’t like to see injustice. Who would give everything, even his life, to keep the innocent from harm.”
“Are you sure you’re talking about me?” I tried to quip through a tight throat.
“I am. It’s part of the reason why I’m falling in love with you,” she stated.
My entire being froze at her claim. “You don’t love me. I’m not worthy—”
A finger to my lips shushed the rest of that sentence as did her hissed, “Don’t you dare say you’re not. I’ve spent the last decade around bad people. I know the difference. Know how you make me feel.”
“You’re just grateful to me.”
“Grateful is me cooking for you. Me baring my inner secrets, my scars, and giving myself to you is a choice I made because I wanted you.”
I wanted to believe her. She sounded so earnest. But how could she love me?
“Stubborn man,” she grumbled before dragging me close for a kiss.
A kiss full of passion and need. An embrace that spoke of her desire.
For me.
I proved too weak to resist. My arm wrapped around her and hugged her close. Her legs straddled my hips so she could sit in my lap properly, letting us kiss without straining. Letting me touch with ease, my hands gliding up under the fabric of her pajama top.
But while she allowed me to caress, she took complete and utter control, lifting the hem of my shirt until I stripped it. Before I could do the same to her, she’d already whipped off her top and tossed it aside.
She stood for a moment and kept her gaze fixed on me as she lowered her bottoms and removed them along with her underpants. She then stared down at me, a beautiful goddess in all her nude glory who had a simple order. “Undress.”
I stripped my joggers so fast, it had to be a record.
She reseated herself on my lap, her legs folded on either side of my thighs, straddling my cock, guiding it into her wet pussy, making me groan in surrender.
She’d discovered my weakness.
Her.
I couldn’t tell her no. Couldn’t do anything but give her what she demanded for as long as she allowed.
As she fully sheathed my cock, she cupped my face and kissed me. Kissed me as she slowly bounced, pushing and lifting, and pushing…
My fingers dug into her hips at the slow torture. My muscles tensed at the pleasure of her seduction. A part of me feared what tomorrow would bring. I wanted this moment to last forever.
But the moment she came, her sex clamping and rippling around my dick, I was lost. Lost in the wonder of her passion. Lost in the love I couldn’t stop.
She stayed locked against me as we found our breath.
Together, we lay down on the blanket, cuddling, speaking softly, not of Percy and the strangers, not her past or mine, we shared our dream.
Hers being to have a house with land where Zaza could grow and run free.
Mine, to wake up and greet the day without depression. A dream already coming true for me.
Nicky fell asleep in my blanket nest, and I ended up scooping her and taking her to the bedroom, laying her beside Zaza. No need for us both to be stiff in the morning. Not that I figured I’d end up with much sleep.
A nagging sense of danger filled my body and led to me moving from window to window, upstairs then back down. Constantly searching the shadows. Listening for movement.
I did catch a few Zs here and there, ten-minute naps that kept exhaustion at bay. When dawn crested, I remained alert and had coffee brewing when Nicky stumbled into the kitchen.
“And here I thought we’d wake up snuggled,” she muttered, giving me a stern look.
I couldn’t help but shrug. “I didn’t want my restlessness to keep you up.”
“I take it nothing happened.”
“Nope. But that doesn’t mean we should drop our guard.”
The next two hours passed quickly, with me daring a quick shower, Nicky taking a longer one while I minded Zaza, who babbled in my lap and pointed at the pictures in her book.
Percy seemed off this morning, listless and lacking appetite.
Another shedding was coming, and I wondered how much she’d expand this time around.
It made no sense. Growth didn’t happen overnight in living creatures.
But apparently that basic law of nature didn’t apply to dragons.
When it came time to leave, I took Percy out in a duffle bag lined in a blanket which I placed in the back seat, in case anyone was watching.
While Nicky kept up a stream of conversation, talking about the dishes the resort served, I paid only partial attention, my focus on the road. I tensed each time we passed a hidden driveway, wondering if we’d be ambushed.
We made it to town without being accosted. I dropped Zaza off at the church daycare. The toddler chortled as she ran off to play. When I parked by the employee entrance for Nicky’s job, she didn’t immediately exit the car.
“You sure you’re going to be okay?” she asked, face creased in concern.
“I’m fine.”
“You’re a tense mess,” she corrected before wincing. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to be so blunt.”
“Don’t apologize for being right and never be afraid to call me out on my bullshit.” I offered a tender smile. “I don’t want you to ever hold back with me.”
She reached out to touch my cheek. “Be careful.”
“I’ll try.”
Nicky reached into the back to slide a hand in the duffel and stroke Percy. “I’ll see you later, my little dragoness.”
“I’d better. I’ll be hungry,” muttered Percy.
Nicky leaned over to give me a lingering kiss before heading into her work.
As for me, I went on the hunt for some weaponry.
To buy a gun in Italy you needed to be a resident and fill out a shit load of bureaucratic forms. I couldn’t afford to wait weeks. A good thing Italy, like pretty much every other country in the world, had a dark underbelly where anything could be bought for a price.
It took a few visits to seedy alleys and chats with some shady characters before I scored what I sought: a revolver and a rifle, both of which I paid too much for. I also bought several boxes of ammo as well as a scope.
A part of me hoped I wouldn’t have to use them, not just because I wanted to avoid any issues with local law enforcement.
Getting rid of bodies would be a pain given the frozen ground.
Since I couldn’t easily bury any corpses, I’d probably have to hike into the mountains and find a deep ravine to dump them in.
Morbid? I called it self-preservation. It should be noted, I didn’t plan to strike first, but if threatened, I also wouldn’t hesitate.
I’d driven by the hotel where I’d seen the orange car the day before several times. Not once did I spot the vehicle. Had the duo returned to my chalet? No way of knowing, hence why I picked up a doorbell camera while in town. I’d install it tonight.
Before I knew it, I had less than an hour before I had to grab Nicky from work. I made a quick stop at the grocery store, grabbing a fresh Italian loaf, more boxes of cookies, and a few cans of peaches, which Percy loved.
As I was checking out, Enzo saw me and came over with a smile.
“That picture of you is famous,” he declared which made me grimace.
“And here I’d hoped you’d taken it down,” I grumbled. Stupid thing started all this trouble.
“Oh, I had Sonya remove it, but people had already copied it. You know what they say, once on the internet, it is eterno!”
Great. I could only hope I wouldn’t end up as a meme.
“How is your famiglia?” Enzo asked.
“Family is great,” I stated, recalling my previous fib.
Enzo insisted I take a cupcake for Zaza decorated with eyes and a silly smile.
Once I got in my car, curiosity had me go looking for the image of me and Percy.
I lucked out and found it quickly as posters had tagged the grocery store, which explained how those strangers easily found my location.
The picture showed my profile clearly even though I was half turned from the camera.
What chilled my blood, though, wasn’t the gray-hued lizard perched on my shoulder, looking nothing like a dragon. Nope, what had me suddenly feeling lightheaded? The fact they’d snapped the pic while I was talking to Nicky when we first met in the checkout line.
In that moment, paranoia hit me. Could it be this wasn’t about Percy but—
Dring. Dring.
The old-school ringer went off on my phone, and I felt a deep cold settle in me before I even looked at the number.
It was Nicky and the dread in my belly predicted her panicked words.
“Zaza’s been kidnapped.”